SFUSD: 10 Middle School Students Likely Sickened By Cannabis

SAN FRANCISCO (CBS SF) – Ten students were hospitalized at James Lick Middle School on Tuesday after consuming what appears to be cannabis, San Francisco Unified School District officials said.

All students are recovering as of Wednesday morning, according to the school district.

SFUSD officials said the substance caused “adverse reactions” and the students’ symptoms were consistent with “marijuana intoxication.”

A container labeled “medical cannabis” was also confiscated, according to the school district.

James Lick school officials sent a text message and email to school parents shortly before 3 p.m. to notify them of the incident

Text message sent to James Lick Middle School parents after students sickened by unknown substance (CBS)

When asked Tuesday if the substance could this have been drugs, SFUSD spokesperson Gentle Blythe said, “At this time, we aren’t speculating, because we just want to make sure the people who are treating the students have an opportunity to examine what it might be.”

KPIX 5 spoke with a seventh grade student at the school who wasn’t in attendance on the day of the incident, but said that student drug use on campus was not uncommon.

The student said that the campus bathrooms were regularly used for vaping and smoking marijuana by other students. The student also had witnessed marijuana changing hands between classmates in a classroom on one occassion.

The San Francisco Department of Public Health is investigating the incident.

Seven students had minor injuries, two had moderate injuries, and one was experiencing injuries considered critical but not life-threatening as of Tuesday afternoon, according to San Francisco fire spokesman Jonathan Baxter.